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After Apple demanded that Samsung pay $2.5 billion for patent infringement, Samsung retaliated by arguing that its Cupertino rival “could not have sold a single iPhone without the benefit of Samsung’s patented technology.” In a recent brief filed to the courts this week, Samsung points to its more than two decades of cellphone research and accuses Apple of hypocrisy, copying design concepts from Sony. Samsung also points towards evidence from 2006, countering Apple’s suggestions that the original iPhone marked a huge change in the Korean firm’s design approach. According to the Samsung filing:

Apple‘s own internal documents show this. In February 2006, before the claimed iPhone design was conceived of, Apple executive Tony Fadell circulated a news article that contained an interview of a Sony designer to Steve Jobs, Jonathan Ive and others. In the article, the Sony designer discussed Sony portable electronic device designs that lacked “excessive ornamentation” such as buttons, fit in the hand, were “square with a screen” and had “corners [which] have been rounded out.

As for Apple’s evidence which suggests that Samsung made a complete design switch hen the iPhone was launched, Samsung doesn’t seem to take too kindly to it. The company insists that “prior to the iPhone’s announcement January 2007, Samsung was already developing numerous products and models with the same design features that Apple now claims were copied from the iPhone.” An image shared by AllThingsD shares Apple’s point of view on this stance.

According to the Samsung filing:

In the summer of 2006, Samsung began designing its next generation of mobile phones, based on the market trend of ever-increasing screen size” Samsung continues. “At that time, Samsung‘s designers envisioned a basic design: a simple, rounded rectangular body dominated by a display screen with a single physical button on the face … [as] documents confirm, Samsung independently developed the allegedly copied design features months before Apple had even announced the iPhone. It did not switch its design direction because of the iPhone.

Samsung even went as far as saying that it was working on a grid-icon GUI back in the summer and fall of 2006 as well, sharing concepts from the time. It continued this portion of the argument by concluding that “contrary to Apple‘s cherry-picked “pre” and “post” iPhone choices of Samsung‘s phones, Samsung designed and developed large screen smartphones before the iPhone as well as bar type phones, sliders, and folder phones.” Samsung also stated the following:

Apple relied heavily on Samsung’s technology to enter the telecommunications space. Samsung supplies the flash memory, main memory, and application processor for the iPhone. Apple also uses patented Samsung technology that it has not paid for. This includes standards-essential technology required for Apple‘s products to interact with products from other manufacturers, and several device features that Samsung developed for use in its products.

The South Korean electronics maker ended its argument by saying that “Samsung does not need or want to copy.” The argument between the two tech giants is far from over as of right now but hopefully the court will help reach a decision so innovation in the industry can continue at a normal pace.

IIRC, the notification center was actually inspired by a jailbreaker who released a jailbreak for iOS 4 that modified the pop up badges. And Apple hired that developer to work on iOS 5's notification center.

That's all well and good but you have to wonder where that guy got the idea for the jailbreak tweak... think about it

Someone please show me what a smart phone should look like that isn't "copying" the iPhone. The rectangle was used for cell phones ever since I had my first one. The color black has also been used for cell phones for a very long time. Just like the tablet debate. How the hell do you want a phone that isn't an iPhone to look exactly? Do you expect them to make a triangular pink phone just to make Apple happy? That new Galaxy Tab looks nothing like the iPad and Apple still sues about it. I think they are just mad because Samsung released a smaller tablet before them and is going to get first dibs at users looking for a smaller tablet to use.

I'm still waiting for some mock ups of smart phones that Apple would be ok with...

I bet they would be suing Microsoft or Nokia as well if Windows Phone had a larger role on the market. Maybe when Windows Phone 8 comes out and starts getting more market share Apple will sue them too.

I may just wait until Oct/Nov until a new Galaxy Nexus comes out. I'd prefer spending $350 on an unlocked phone instead of getting stuck in another contract by getting a SGS3. Only thing is, if I wait, the amount I can get for my iPhone 4 also drops...

Actually Apple did not create these chips them from scratch; they simply combined ARM processors and a GPU (like the PowerVR.) This is not the same thing as creating the chip as a whole by themselves.

I did not use the words "create" or "from scratch." Don't put words in other people's mouth. This is a perfect example that your view is so diluted that you are reading things that's not there.

And my point still holds true that Samsung was merely the producer of those chips, and that if it wasn't Samsung, it would of been someone else. Samsung just happens to met all of Apple's needs at the lowest price. I mean, you really think Intel or AMD couldn't meet Apple's specifications? They just probably weren't the cheapest.

I may just wait until Oct/Nov until a new Galaxy Nexus comes out. I'd prefer spending $350 on an unlocked phone instead of getting stuck in another contract by getting a SGS3. Only thing is, if I wait, the amount I can get for my iPhone 4 also drops...